Has anyone had experience with the Cox Models Warbirds series of planes? I am building one right now as my first plane. I realize that a warbird might not be the best plane to learn on, but it was only twenty bucks and I already had a radio, servos, and speed control. I bought the F4U Corsair model. Here's a photo of it.

This is a terrible choice for a first plane. If you try to fly it on your own, it is probably doomed to crashing. If you ask someone to train you on it, they will probably decline and suggest that you get a trainer. I suggest that you go to the AMA club locator, http://www.modelaircraft.org/clubsearch.aspx to find a local club. Find out where their field is and go for a visit. Talk to some of their instructors to see what they recommend for planes and radios. Then check with some local hobby shops to see what they've got. Compare what they're offering to some of the recommendations here and then decide.

Hey Chuck,nice logo
So Maniac, If your already have the radio gear, I'm guessing they came out of the last plane you flew/crashed...and if you only have a whopping $20 in it, I'd go outside and give it a try..but thats just me...I think you already know the answer to your question that it isnt a plane to learn on...Rog

I had a COX control line model years ago that looked just like that one. Lasted about 20 seconds.
Get yourself a simulator or download FMS for free and at least you will have a fighting chance.
Here is a plane I just recently bought that would work better and you can use the electronics you already have.
http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXHCL2&P=0
As was already suggested, your best chance of success is to go to a local club and get a qualified instructor.

Send us another picture of it when you crash it.

Dr.1

I don't doubt your opinions, but what specifically makes this a bad plane to learn with?
As for simulators, I have RealFlight G3. I have had it for a while now and I can fly some of those planes. Also, I am probably only going be able to fly this indoors.

A good trainer is designed to be slow, predictable, and has some self righting tendencies. These things help beginners by giving them time to react to what's happening in the air. Warbirds are designed to be fast and manueverable, and do not self right. These things make them difficult to learn on. For example, it's common for a beginner to give too much up elevator when the plane nears the ground. A trainer will either climb, if it has enough speed, or perhaps stall. The most likely reaction from a warbird to such an error is often a snap roll, which can be fatal near the ground.

While being able to fly such a plane on a simulator certainly helps, for whatever reason, flying the real thing ends up being more difficult. I sometimes relate what happened when I learned to golf, a very long time ago. I was in a class that began in the winter. We started indoors with wiffle golf balls. No matter how hard we wacked them, the most you could get was 20-30 feet. By the time it was warm enough to go outside, we were all hitting the balls very consistantly. When we got outside, we had more space, and we had REAL (golf) BALLS!!! To make a long story short, the transition from simulator (wiffle balls) to flight (real golf balls) took several weeks. If they had been planes, we would all have been crashing!

Indoor flight actually creates additional challenges that one doesn't face outside. While flying outside, one is only limited by how far they can see to control the plane. If you need a brief timeout, just let the plane fly straight, or climb. When you fly indoors, you have a finite amount of space. You need to be able to control the plane well enough to keep it from hitting the walls or ceiling. When being piloted by someone who is inexperienced, a slow, predictable plane gives more time to make the necessary decisions to keep the plane in the air.